Stoke's Shawcross set to relish Cisse challenge

The Potters are away at Newcastle United on Saturday but the prospect of taking on a man who has scored 10 goals in nine Premier League matches is being welcomed by centre-back Shawcross.

"Papiss has adapted to English football remarkably quickly," said Shawcross. "It can sometimes take a while for players to come to this country and settle in, but he has already shown his qualities on the pitch.

"He is a very talented player and the fact that he is averaging better than a goal a game shows the tremendous qualities he possesses.

"I enjoy playing against these sort of players though - it's a test for me and for the other defenders. In this league, you come up against top-class players week in, week out and Saturday will be no different."